Oak Hammock Campground

A very nice preserve that appears to be used mostly by hunters, although there is no camping allowed when the hunt is on.

The biggest negative at the weekend is the airboats that traverse the surrounding river system. When the boats are gone, late evening and early mornings, the peace is much appreciated.

Lots of sunny areas for solar requirements and lovely shady areas for those who do not need solar power.

There was one other camper on our arrival who left the following morning and we are now entirely on our own in this little piece of tranquility.

The road in was OK. A few potholes, but nothing bad. It's best to go by Gps directions because of the side roads you have to take to get here.

The vault toilets are a little questionable. I would not use them, but, if you have no option, take your own toilet paper and some paper towels for the seat.

Very nice. Quiet even when full. Most people tent camp here. We pulled in with our 38’ DP. Ground is a little soft. Word of caution: if it is going to rain, either leave before it does, or stay until dry. Especially if you are heavy.

We arrived after a really heavy rain fall so the primitive camping section was a no-go for any heavy rig. There was one guy already stuck there. So we went back over to the equestrian camp and it was superb. Wide open field was our choice, though you could chose the individual sites tucked in up the rear or the sites more spaced out down the track. These has tables and fire pits. We loved the east/west facing solar opportunities and with a slight tilt had maximum amps during our stay. We were grateful for the sunshine when the rest of the country was going through a freeze. The trails around this site were gorgeous. No trash service or potable water but I’m sure the water that was around would be fine for horses or as non drinking water. Make sure you reserve your “stay” online before you get there so you can get your gate code to enter and be sure to have your email handy for the FWM law enforcement - they like to come visit and make sure you are legal :)

I took my 19ft travel trailer and found a camp spot right on the bank of the Withlacoochee River. Drove down a dirt road through the woods to an open grassy area with 4 camp sites right on the river and 2 off river. There were boats of all types passing by, which for me was fun to watch and everyone is so friendly and waving. Stayed 2 nights April 11, 2018. The only downside is my site had a huge pile of trash (clothing, chair, all types of belongings) that were apparently left by homeless people. The bath house is a pit toilet and was also trashed with garbage bags of trash left by others. I reported it to the ranger and they said they would send someone out. I bagged some of the trash at my campsite and cleaned it as best I could but had to leave it as it was too much to haul out. I believe in cleaning up campsites when I can. In spite of that, the site was beautiful, with small wildflowers and lightning bugs lighting up the air at night. Great for small RV and tents. Verizon cell was one bar to no bars.

This was our very first boon docking, or free camping in a wild setting ever. We loved the old oak canopies and wild Florida feeling we got. There was a trail we could walk each day that took us back into the woods which was nice. There were some permanent residents there that had lots of dogs (around 10 - 15). They kept to themselves, but were a bit noisy. We decided to park further down the road (beyond the grassy areas where campsites are clearly marked) to get away from the group. We never felt unsafe, but it was a bit odd.

There is a gate to get in and a permit is required. We simply went online https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/camping.php and asked for a free permit for the days we would be there. They sent us a confirmation email and gave us the code to get in the gate (a combination lock).

We would happily stay here again. Quiet but not too far from town.

First of all, do not make a reservation for the Equestrian camp if you have an RV- choose the Primitive option. The address HERE is the correct one, don't follow Google. There are separate gates & you want the right one- calling SWFWMD is USELESS, trust me. Once you get thru the gate, it's easy. Great place, fishing, cleaning station, pit toilet. Loved it. Straighttalk had excellent service as always.

Made an on-site visit to Potts Preserve Equestrian Campground today. This campground is not big rig friendly due to tree overhang and height clearance on the access road. Verizon clocked in at 2.05 Mbps download speed and 0.14 upload speed. AT&T clocked in at 12.8 Mbps download speed and 0.57 upload speed. Hiking trails exist on property. Trail maps are available at the access gate. A free reservation is required and to obtain the gate lock combination. Smaller campers without height clearance restrictions or basic horse trailers should be able to use this campground within any issues. Portable toilets were serviceable at the time of my visit.

This was a big point of confusion for me because my phone GPS took me to the Hooty Point Potts Preserve also run by Water Management and my gate code didn't work. I was frustrated until I discovered I was in the wrong place. By the way, that part of Potts Preserve is nice. I walked in to see what I had done wrong. The road going in was a long one way with some narrow points but was well kept from pot holes and low branches. Some sites are on the river, which is very pretty! But seems like there is some mud issues in some parts. Don't get stuck after a good rain!

As for the N Dee Potts Preserve run by Water Management, the entry road has many huge and deeply horrible rig-killing pot holes. Luckily that road is less than a mile, go very slow. Once you get there don't get stuck in the rain or you may never leave. When you see the check in station GO LEFT for the campground. If you continue down the main road you will have to turn around and that may be impossible for a rig! There is no sign saying turn left for the campground. I'll have to call them about that and the road. No trash receptacles, so carry in and out. Each site has their own non-potable water spigot! As well as the usual picnic table, grill stand, and fire pit. Lots of great hammock hanging spots. It wasn't busy so it was nice and quiet but the mosquitos were a problem by the second night at the end of March.

The camping area is very large and was mostly empty when we were there in Dec. There is some water (non-drinking) and picnic tables available at some sites. You definitely need to make a reservation in order to get the combination for the lock at the gate, which could use another link or two of chain. We didn't get much cellular reception but still a very lovely area. You also need to take any trash with you as there are no cans for it.

Port-a-potties were ok. Beautiful campground. Easy to find. Great kayaking nearby. Will be back